Astral Wolves
“''From this day on, no daemon of the Warp shall infect us, the Legions honour has already been stained, we are evidence to that. I defy thy daemon, I defy thy in the name in the God-Emperor and I condemn you back to Warp!” '' - Chapter Master Vaehrlân Nero'' '' The Astral Wolves is a loyalist chapter founded during the early 31st-millennium, in fact after the Horus Heresy, yet nearly nothing is known of their engagements from their founding until late 37th-millennium. Their descendancy is of the World Eaters, as the gene-seed of those were the most stable, even though fragments of the Luna Wolves gene-seed are also found throughout the Astral Wolves. This secret however is kept close and only known to warriors of the Chapter. The Astral Wolves reside in the Segmentum Obscurus, wardens of the Ghraca Sector The Astral Wolves are known as savage and brutal, yet in reality, they are staunch and humble. Chapter Story During the Horus Heresy, Captain Vhalt Corianos of the Luna Wolves made himself honour-brother to Captains Remus Meridius of the Emperor’s Children, Tarlis Tarian of the Death Guard and Vaerhlân Nero of the World Eaters. When the betrayal was revealed during the Isstvan III Atrocity, Captains Tarian and Meridius were marked for death, when they were handpicked to lead the speartip. When the news of Captain Tarvitz move came through, and the departure of the Eisenstein, Corianos contacted Nero onboard the Sentinel and ordered him to assist the Proudchild in the attack to come. Nero’s blood-lust and lust for justice brought most of his company to death, when he instead attempted to board the Vengeful Spirit. Nero and a handful of survivors then managed to drop pod to the Proudchild before their deaths were delivered by First-Captain Abaddon and the elite Justaerin. Without the element of surprise any longer, the Proudchild ''disappeared into the shadows, unable to bring retribution to their traitor brethren. On the surface, Captain Tarlian and Meridius were present during the final bombardment, giving their lives to the Emperor, having at least bought the loyalist forces time. Later, the ''Proudchild ''made for Terra, finally commissioned by the High Lords to form the Astral Wolves chapter. The Astral Wolves nearly fell to the sway of Chaos during the Abyssal Crusade, when 4 full companies including the late Chapter Master Kaeso Anteus turned to the temptations of Khorne. It was due to "Lord of the Rites" Captain Mannion Pertinae that the remaining Astral Wolves fleet, with the battle-barge, the ''Immortal Duty ''at the fore, made it back to realspace. The Astral Wolves then joined the Vorpal Swords and brought Saint Basilius to justice. Recently the Astral Wolves have been attacked by their former brothers whom have formed the warband, the Gorewolves. Chaos Lord Anteus and his Champion, Nathan "Gorehound" have several times led stunning assaults to the Ghraca Primus system, yet several times the staunch Astral Wolves have repelled them. What is known of the Imperium concerning the Astral Wolves is, that they are currently repelling the fourth attack on their home system made by the Gorewolves, the greater daemon of Khorne Vorkhas, and the slaaneshi daemon Co'sal'ankh. Notable Campaigns '''The First War for Ghraca (792.M36)- '''Chapter Master Julaeram Pollo joins forces with the 3rd company and the 9th company to retake the Ghraca sector located in the Segmentum Obscurus from the orks of WAAAGH! Grotzburna. Initially the retaking of Dioram, the Ghraca systems forge world, seems to be no match for the Wolves, but when the strike force moves to Avenia, Captain Massimo of the 9th is brutally slaughtered along most of his brothers. Pollo and Captain Gaius are forced to retreat to Dioram to regroup and await futher reinforcements. The 1st company and 4th company under command of First-Captain Brutus and Captain Torix arrive at Pollo´s request. With the arrival of these new forces, the orks on Avenia are crushed and Ghraca soon follows. Yet First-Captain Brutus falls in the climactic battle against Warboss Grotzburna. Whilst the authority of the Ghraca sector is given to the Wolves, Chapter Master Pollo is skeptical. He leaves newly-promoted First-Captain Gnaeus Imbrex to train the inhabitants of the sector alongside the 1st company. With the Wolves reformation, the Ghracan population revives their old customs of gladiatorial battles. In the years to come, the Ghraca sector would provide the Wolves with tough and hardened recruits. '''The Invectus Campaign (631.M37-640.M37)- '''Having recently fought on Aralan against daemonic entities of Khorne, when the Lord-Governor pledged himself to the Ruinous Powers, Captain Leonus of the 4th and his company do not know that their chapter is accused of treachery. Meanwhilst, the Astral Wolves 4th company receives a distress call from their fellow chapter, the Purifiers 8th company. The 4th arrives to the far edge of the Invectus system to find their brothers combating the ork WAAAGH! GrubDuffer on a modified asteroid. Leonus quickly engages bringing swift death to the greenskin. It is then revealed that the force the Astartes engaged was only a scouting party, and the main WAAGH! Takes 9 more years to cleanse from the Emperor’s realm. '''The Zantragoran Slaughter (005.M40)- '''Chapter Master Chaerae musters most of the chapter to combat the threat of the necrons on the tomb world of Zantragora. The 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 10th companies are sent to deliver the Emperor´s fury to the necrons. Never have the Wolves before fought against the necrons, and their gauss weapons, initially kills off the whole 2nd and 4th companies including Captains Quintus Puvian and Lupion. Venerable Captain Varan Lars valiantly fends off the necrons for one whole day, destroying hundreds of the automatons before succumbing. The rest of the battle group then utilizes the uncanny formation, Steel Rain. Upon landing, the 10th company is severely damaged, when half of the company is flayed including Captain Antasio. Knight-Commander Harken rallies the remaining scouts, and leads a charge against the necron ranks. Cutting down several of the automatons, Harken is at last slain by the Zantragoran necron lord, whilst the handful of scouts, are butchered as well. Chapter Master Chaerae and around 500 Wolves that stands left, dig in the trenches, keeping off the masses of necrons. First-Captain Fluros see the presumed-dead necrons rise again, and this information is sent to their homeworld of Ghraca where the 3rd and 9th companies are stationed. In the final stages of the Zantragoran Slaughter, Chaerae leads his scant number of Butchers to charge towards the necron lord. Whilst Captain Kurus and the 8th follow behind, the 1st, 5th, 6th and 7th companies remain, providing covering fire. The charging force is quickly slaughtered, Vernus Chaerae himself skewered by a gauss beam. The last Wolves, now 400 men strong, manage to push back the necrons buying themselves some time, and the ground where their dead brothers lie in grand numbers. First-Captain Fluros then orders Captain Vindux to gather the functional weapons, armour, equipment and gene-seed of the dead Astartes and bring it back to Ghraca so the chapter can live on. The 5th company then departs the war-torn world of Zantragora aboard the ''Fury of Luxor, leaving their brothers to their deaths, but ensuring the survival of the chapter. Meanwhile, the shattered remains of the Astral Wolves prepare for one last heroic charge upon the necron ranks. The three remaining captains, Fluros, Caper Gillus and Uryan commend their souls to the Emperor and the founding father, Vaerhlân Nero. The Astral Wolves charge into battle, roaring for one last time. '''The Badab War (901.M40)- '''Lufgt Huron sends a desperate message to the Astral Wolves, where he informs Lucan of the dire situation. Lucan dispatches the full might of his Wolves, but when he arrives with the Chapter at his back, he sees the truth. The Astral Claws have turned from the Emperor´s Light and he leaves the war torn sector. Yet with grief in his heart, he orders the 5th and 10th companies to support the loyalists, and Captains Eugelon and Myrmidon gladly accept. During the head of the Siege of Badab, Many of Myrmidon´s scouts are killed, yet Captain Eugelon and the 5th staunchly move on. The 5th company performs daring shock attacks on the secessionists, luring them out of cover, only to be butchered by the waiting scouts. When the fighting is finally over, the Astral Wolves are given many honours, especially the 5th and 10th companies. Chapter Organisation The Astral Wolves is a somewhat Codex adherent chapter. Yet they have a few specialized units, which give them a number which exceeds that of 1000 Astartes. The Astral Wolves have always been organized in a manner that best suited the first Chapter Master, Nero and his idealistic and perfectionist nature. Nero was also known for his favour of order and martial honour. The Astral Wolves are ordered but aggresive in every aspect. The Astral Wolves follow a strict hierarchy which is staunchly adhered to. If a captain of a company is to honourably die in battle, the most senior sergeant is to take command, but if none is available, a sergeant from another company may take command. In the rarest occasions, a Knight-Commander or Centurion may rise to captaincy or even lordship over the Astral Wolves chapter if no better experienced candidate is available. The line warriors are expected to respect their officers, and follow their commands without question. This hierarchy was formed to ensure that the line warriors would see to their superiors as examples and paragons. The warriors of the Astral Wolves are expected to excel in their individual roles on the battlefield. Every warrior in the chapter strives for high esteem and their values descend from the first Chapter Master, such as personal commitment, stern demeanour and martial honour. One of Nero’s beliefs were that the most glory was earned by facing the enemy in hand-to-hand combat, which is why the Astral Wolves heavily rely on infantry-based attacks and jump-pack infantry.